Months of training and preparation paid off in July, when 35 students and 4 Teachers from St Dominic's Sixth form college braved the weather to climb the 3 highest peaks in the UK in 3 days!
The trip was a lot of fun for many different reasons, and all the students enjoyed what was a lifetime experience. The mountains were climbed in geographical order: Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis. The journeys between the peaks were all covered by coach, which made for song singing, games and general good times!
Accommodation was in the form of cosy Youth Hostels, so hot showers and warm beds were the reward for hard trekking during the day. Trekking involved ascents and relentless descents, all in all over 9 hours daily, followed by long journeys to the next destination.
The weather was kind for Scafell and Ben Nevis, but the heavens opened for the whole of the Snowdon climb. Despite challenges posed by weather, fatigue, sore knees, blisters and rain, the students soldiered on ... bolstered by the money that they were raising for the orphans in Uganda. The team raised just over £13000 for the Uganda Orphan project!
Well done team and thank you all!
An extract from an article written by Eve Middleton, one of the students involved in this climb: "We arrived at the last youth hostel at 2:30am before climbing the hardest and tallest mountain of the three, Ben Nevis (we were allowed a sleep-in until 8:00 instead of 5:30). This was a huge step-up from the previous two, with a monotonous, winding, rocky path for the majority of the ascent. 1300m of climbing was tough on every single member of the group. The view was just white cloud, and the fog meant you could barely see more than 10m in front of you, but the team spirit never gave in and everyone was relieved not to have to do any more climbing and be able to relax that evening with a celebratory meal at the Tavern in Fort William. The strict discipline required to get to the bottom of the mountain in time to travel by coach for 5 to 6 hours to the next destination where regular routine included hot showers, dinner, sandwich making for the next day and bed, was maintained seamlessly by our teachers. Throughout all climbs, we also felt safe in the professional hands of our teachers who kept our safety and well being at top priority. Thank you to all the teachers who organised this trip and for giving us an opportunity to complete such a great personal achievement. Three Peaks Challenge is the most physically and mentally rewarding trip I’ve ever been on. All of the work was also worth it for the brilliant cause. With the £13000 we’ve raised as a team, we can provide education to the orphans who desperately need it in Uganda."